Accumulator and tank-coil system for refrigeration



N. H. GAY 1,794,110

ACCUIULATOR A ND TANK COIL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATION Feb. -24, 19 1.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept, 9, 1929 WU M 7 IQ MM g 1 W +||\l.

uml k q Feb. H. GAY ACCUMULATOR AND TANK COIL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I T 16 t 1 rrqrla 5 L943 H r-RIEI-fl I It w I 0 09 y I Q 22- g x Patented Feb. 24, 1931 NORMAN HJQAY, 015 LOS .ANGELES, CALIFORNIA .eccuiuuna'ron m TANK-COIL SYSTEM ron nnriuennh'rron Application filed September 9, 1929. Serial No. 391,409.

This inventionrelates to improvements in refrigerating systems having accumulator and tank coils. a

A system of this type is disclosed in appli- 6 cants U. S. Patent N 0. 1,715,828, granted June 4, 1929, and the present construction proposes certain modifications therein wherey a simple and cheaply manufactured apparatus is provided.

A11 illustrative form of practicing this in vention is shown on the accompanying drawingp, in which igure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a tank installation.

15 Fig. 2 is a corresponding transverse sectional view substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of'a slightly modified form of construction of the accumulator.-

2 In the present structure, as in that disclosed in applicants aforesaid patent, it is proposed to provide an accumulator containing liquid refrigerant, and having transverse substantially horizontal inlet and outlet 2 headers connected therewith, these headers in turn being joined by relatively short length of pipe constituting the refrigerating coils, these pipes being of relatively large cross section so that a free flow of refri erant may occur from the inlet'to the outlet header, and by the maintaining in the accumulator of a liquid level at a height above the outlet of the highest refrigerating coil, a circulation is permitted and provoked downwardly in the accumulator, outwardly and back in the refrigerating coils to the outlet headers, and thence backto the accumulator to complete the circuit. Inparticular, the refrigeratingcoils expose alar e area to the tank to be cooled, and thus t e refrigerating liquid at these coils is brought to gaseous form where by the density of the refrigerant, thus. present both in the liquid and thegaseous phase in the respective coils, is reduced so that automatically a circulation of the liquid in the aforesaid manner is p'rovoked. Thegases escape from this mixture of gaseous and liquid refrigerant at the outlet header and in the accumulator and are thus drawn 0E and 511 subjected to the usual compression and condensation by any suitable means for such purpose, and are returned to the inlet header commonly known as the expansion valve, to reenter the circulation. v w 1 Referring to the form of the invention shown on the accompanying drawings, the tank 10 is of any suitable construction, and

through a suitable pressure'reducing valve, Y

ordinarily is filled to a relatively high level with brine. A vertical accumulator 11 islocated 1n this tank in conjunction with a relatively horizontal inlet header 12 and outlet header 13. For simplicity of construction, whereby it is possible to assemble the unit with tight joints, as by a welding operation at the actory, the accumulator'is formed as an upper member 11 having a closed end 14 connected to the low pressure return pipe 15 for gaseous refrigerant, and a lower junction member 16 connecting the inlet and outlet headers. sections 11 and 16 are of slightly lesser diameter than the respective headers, so that portions of the headers themselves constitute likewise parts of the accumulator, thus in part reducing the quantity of liquid refrigerant required to fill the system, whilein no wise 70. In the illustrative example, the

obstructing the downward fiow of liquid 2 refrigerant from the outlet to the inlet header in its return in circuit. The inlet header 12 is provided with a baflie plate 17 located substantially diametrically thereof for closing the same except for a small passage 17a at the outer or free end of the inlet header. In the illustrated example, likewise, the baflie plate is shown as slightly inclined to the horizontal, so that the left hand side thereof in Fig. 1 is connected to the wall of the inlet headen 12 below the mouth of the lowest refrigerating coil 18, while the right hand side of this baffle plate 17 is connected to the wall of the inlet header 12 at a point just below the open mouth of the accumulator section 16. In particular, it willbe noted that inthe illustrated form the refrigerating coils 18 have the axes of their mouths located in the upper left quadrant, so that in effect the position of the bafie 17 is determined on the one hand by the diameter of the mouth of the lowermost coil 18, and on the otherhand by .above center whereby the chamber below the bafiie is larger than the chamber above it. The successive refrigerating coils 18 are connected into the inletheader 12 at points above thisbaffle, and pass in an outward run of flight at a slight upward angle, and then return, and each passage is substantially of U-shape so that the return flight of each coil brings it back to open into the outlet header 13, preferably at points not higher than the center of this outlet header. It will especially be noted that each of the coils at its outlet end furnishes a free escape forany gas and Y liquid that may be present in the coil.

The gas separating in the outlet header 13 and in the accumulator passes to the low pressure returnpipe 15 and is compressed and condensed and returned as liquid through the high pressure delivery pipe 19, past the ex-* pansion valve 20 and by pipe 21 enters the inlet header 12 beneath the baflie 17 and sub stantially above the bottom of the lower chamber'beneath this baffle 17. The incoming liquid refrigerant always contains some oil, and this oil is cooled and separated in the lower compartment of the inlet header 12 and deposited as a pool at the bottom thereof, while the substantially pure liquid refrigerant passes outward along the inlet header and upward through the opening 17a left at the end of the baffle 17 to the upper chamber of the inlet header, and thence outward through one of the refrigerating coils 18 and back to the outlet header 13, where any gas is given 2 off, and finally downward again through the accumulator portion 16 to complete a circuit. This circulation is occasioned and provoked by the action of the relatively warmer brine or other fluid in the tank 10 in its operation upon the external surface of the refrigerating coil 18 wherebythese coils are heated to a temperature above the evaporating point of the liquid refrigerant in the respective coil, so that a portion of the liquid refrigerant is evaporated, obtaining its heat of evaporation from the coil whereby to reduce the temperature of. the fluid in the tank 10. The mixture of gaseous and liquid refrigerant is of lower specific gravity than the liquid refrigerant, and a flow is thus produced through the coils 18 back to the accumulator, where the gas is separated from the liquid refrigerant,-

and the latter having the usual density of liquid refrigerant moves downwardlin the accumulator section 16 incompleting the circuit.

An oil withdrawal pipe 22 has its end opening into the bottom chamber of the inlet header, and when the oil pool has accumulated to any desired extent, the oil purging valve 23 is opened, and thereby the oil may be withdrawn from the inlet header.

1 whereby even the slight tendency toward reversal of flow occasioned by such evaporation is eliminated; I i

It will be noted that the headers 12 and 13 and the accumulator portions 11 and 16 may be assembled together and provided with the refrigerating coils 18 as a fixed and secondary assembly job, and the refrigerating evaporating unit thus formed may be readily shipped for installation in the tank 10; and likewise the entire system may be withdrawn from this tank for repair and inspection, without disturbing the 1Walls of this tank. This feature is regarded as of great importance, especially with the employment of such a refrigerating system of the smaller sizes.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the form of execution illustrated and described, but that it may be varied in many ways within the scope-of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 In a refrigerating system, a vertical accumulator having inlet and outlet. header extensions projecting horizontally therefrom,

evaporator coils connecting said headers and providing means for a free circulation of liquid refrigerant through the coils, outlet above the bottom of said inlet header, and

an oil withdrawal line opening into said inlet header adjacent the bottom thereof.

, 2. In a refrigerating system, horizontal inlet and outlet headers, a vertical accumulator connecting said headers adjacent one end thereof, evaporator coils connecting said headers whereby a circulation of liquid refrigerant may be established through said inlet header coils, outlet header and accumulator, a baflie dividing said inlet header into upper and lower compartments and extending from the end of said inlet header adja- J cent said accumulator to a point adjacent the outer or free end of said inlet header, and an inlet pipe for liquid refrigerant opening into the lower compartment of said inlet header at a point adjacent the accumulator end thereof.

3. In a refrigerating system, horizontal inlet and outlet headers connected by evapo rator coils, a vertical accumulator connecting 1 0 said headers whereby a free circulation of liquid refrigerant may be set up through said inlet-header coils, outlet header and accumulator by the evaporation of liquid refrigerant in said coils, a bafiie dividing said inlet header into' upper and lower compartments, saidbaflie being inclined to the horizontal so that its lower end is below the mouth of the lowest flight of the refrigerating coils and whereby the lower compartment is larger than the upper compartment, and means to deliver liquid refrigerant into said inlet header beneath said baflie/ In testimony whereof, aflix my si nature.

NORMAN H. AY. 

